Author: Ryan Byrne
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How will Maine Question 1 stack up to prior measures in terms of cost-per-vote?
Maine Question 1, a citizen-initiated measure designed to prohibit the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC), could see one of the highest cost-per-vote ratios for a ballot measure that Ballotpedia has recorded. The most recent campaign finance reports, which cover through Sept. 30, show that more than $71.82 million has been raised between supporters and opponents of…
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Maine Question 1, transmission lines initiative, sees $71.82 million in contributions
The support and opposition campaigns of Maine Question 1, which voters will decide on Nov. 2, 2021, have raised a combined total of $71.82 million in contributions through Sept. 30. The next deadline to report contributions and expenditures is Oct. 22. Maine Question 1 would prohibit the construction of electric transmission lines defined as high-impact in the Upper…
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Signatures filed for veto referendums to repeal Arizona income tax bills
The campaign Invest in Arizona filed signatures on Sept. 28, 2021, for two veto referendums aimed at overturning bills designed to change income tax brackets and small business income taxes in Arizona. Both of the bills would impact tax revenue associated with Proposition 208, an initiative passed in 2020. Proposition 208 enacted a 3.5% income…
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District judge rules against ballot initiative to replace Minneapolis Police Department; Supreme Court will hear appeal
Voters in Minneapolis will see a citizen-initiated charter amendment on their ballots to replace the Minneapolis Police Department. On Sept. 14, however, District Court Judge Jamie Anderson ruled that the ballot question for the proposal was unreasonable and misleading and enjoined election officials from counting votes on Nov. 2. On Sept. 15, the Minnesota Supreme…
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Minneapolis City Council approves new ballot question for initiative to replace Minneapolis Police Department
On Sept. 7, the Minneapolis City Council held an emergency meeting to adopt language for a citizen-initiated measure to replace the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) with a Department of Public Safety (DPS). The 12-1 vote came hours after District Court Judge Jamie Anderson struck down the then-existing language as “vague to the point of being…
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Judge rules that permitting process for one mile of transmission line corridor in Maine violated 1993 constitutional amendment
On Aug. 10, Judge Michaela Murphy of the Maine Superior Court vacated a lease for the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) to bisect one mile of public land in northern Maine. NECEC is a 145-mile long, high-voltage transmission line project that would transmit around 1,200 megawatts from hydroelectric plants in Quebec to electric utilities…
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Initiative to repeal Michigan law granting governor emergency powers heads to state legislature
The Michigan State Legislature approved the indirect initiative that repealed the Emergency Powers of Governor Act. On July 15, 2021, the Michigan State Senate voted 20-15 to approve the initiated measure. Senate Republicans voted to pass the initiated measure, and Senate Democrats voted against the proposal. On July 21, 2021, the Michigan House of Representatives voted 60-48 to approve…
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California initiative requiring state to adopt regulations on plastic waste certified for 2022 ballot
California initiative requiring state to adopt regulations on plastic waste certified for 2022 ballot News On July 19, a citizen-initiated measure to require California to adopt regulations designed to reduce the use of single-use plastic packaging was certified for the ballot on November 8, 2022. The ballot initiative would also enact a maximum one-cent per…
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Contributions exceed $46 million to campaigns surrounding Maine electric transmission lines initiative
In November, voters in Maine will decide a ballot initiative designed to stop the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC), a 145-mile long, high-voltage transmission line project. NECEC would transmit around 1,200 megawatts from hydroelectric plants in Quebec to electric utilities in Massachusetts and Maine. Since 2010, Ballotpedia has tracked campaign finance for ballot measures…
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Initiative to repeal Michigan law granting governor emergency powers heads to state legislature
The Michigan State Legislature will have 40 days to approve an initiated measure to repeal the Emergency Powers of Governor Act (EPGA), also known as Public Act 302 (PA 302) of 1945. The EPGA was designed to empower the governor to issue rules and regulations to bring emergencies under control and protect life and allow violations…